And adolf g



(No Model.)

J. KIPS.

ELEGTRIG ANNUNUIATOR.

No. 555,101. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KIPS, OF YONKERS, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO MARTIN GEISZLER, OF NE\V YORK, AND ADOLF G. HUPFEL, OF JOHNSVILLE, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,101, dated'February 25, 1896.

Application filed January 8, 1895. Serial No. 534,207. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN KIPS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of WVestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Annunciators and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, which is a diagrammatic view of an electric a nnunciator made according to my invention.

The object of this invention is to avoid or obviate the use of an electromagnet in the construction and operation of annunciators; and to this end it comprises certain novel combinations of parts, each of which said combinations comprises as an element therein a wire or conductor arranged to be elongated from its normal length or condition by the passage of an electric current therethrough by means of which the aforesaid object is effectually obtained without any impairment in the effectiveness or utility of the annunciator.

The drawing shows in diagram the construction and circuit arrangement.

A is a metallic plate or bracket designed to support and connect with certain operative parts of the apparatus and which may itself be in any suitable manner attached to awall or other support. To the part A is attached one end of an elastic metallic stem or spring 13, at the outer or free end of which is provided a hook or catch a. At any suitable distance from this spring Bis a stud b, insulated in any suitable manner-as, for example, at cfro1n the plate A. From this stud b to the spring B extends a taut wire O, which normally holds the spring against its resilient tendency. In other words, the tension of the wire 0 is in opposition to the resiliency of the spring, so that when its strain is relaxed the spring will move outward or away from the drop D.

Pivotally connected with the plate A-as, for example, at a-upon the end of an arm at projected from said plate, is the drop, so called, (indicated by the reference-letter D,) of the annunciator; in other words, the device which bears upon it the numerals, letters or at b, is a bar 6, which arrests the movement of the drop D when it has reached the proper distance in its fall. The drop D, like the spring B, &c., is composed of metal or 0011- ducting material through which an electrical current is readily transmissible.

E is a battery or equivalent source of electricity. One pole of this battery connects by a wire f with the wire 0. The opposite pole of the battery connects by a wire g with a push-button h or like device, which operates in connection with a contact-piece i, which in its turn connects by a Wire with the conductive arm d, and consequently with the drop D. From the bar 6 to a bell or other audible signal F extends a wire m. From said hell or audible signal to the wire f extends a wire at. These wires, as herein presently explained, form parts of an electric circuit by which on occasion the bell or audible signal is sounded. As the means by which such signals may be actuated from or by an electric circuit are well known, no specific description thereof is here necessary,

In the operation of the invention, the circuit of the battery E being closed-as for example, by bringing the push-button it into contact with the contact-piece the electric current passes through the wires 9 is, through the arm 61 and drop D to the spring B, thence through the wire 0 to the wire f, and back to the opposite pole of the battery. Of course the direction of the current through the parts may be the reverse of this when desired. The passage of the current through the wire 0 elongates the same and thereby permits an outward movement of the spring B sufficient to move the catch a from the upper edge of the drop D, which latter, being released, falls from its normal or raised position to the depressed position in which its figures, letters, or indicia are exposed to view, its descent being limited or arrested at the proper point by the bar 0, with which it comes in contact in its fall. The separation of the spring B from its contact with the drop D of course breaks the continuity of the current through the spring and cuts out the latter from the circuit. The contact of the drop with the bar 6 closes the circuit through said bar and wire on, the bell or other audible signal Fand the wires 91 g, the arm (I, and the drop D, thereby sounding the audible signal as an immediate consequence of the descent of the drop, this sounding of the audible signal continuing until the circuit is brokenas, for example, by the separation of the push-button 7L from the contact-piece t.

The drop may be lifted to its normal or nonindicative position by any suitable means-as, for example, an ordinary lifting-barwhen the catch a, resuming its hold. upon the edge of the drop, retains the same in place until a current being again passed through the wire (1 the operation of dropping the drop with its consequence of sounding the audible signal is repeated. To prevent any undue backward movement of the drop the spring B may have a projection 0 provided thereto in such manner as to retard any backward tilting of the drop from its raised or normal position.

It is of course to be understood that a multiplicity of drops operated according to my invention may in practice be employed in association with each other, as is done with the drops of annunciators heretofore in use.

It is further to be observed that, when desired, instead of associatingthe spring B with a drop D said spring may, by suitable and easily-arranged devices, be connected with an indexdinger which by a change of position may indicate or visually announce a call made through the apparatus; also, that instead of forming the spring so as to be itself resilient a bar may be substituted in its place, and anysuitable 1neansas, for example, a spring applied thereto-may be given the degree of resiliency necessary to afford the requisite degree of tautness to the wire C, and the motion, when the wire is relaxed or elongated, to actuate or set in operation the indicating device or devices.

By means of my invention I am able, without in any manner impairing the utility or eil'ectiveness in operation of this class of mechanism, to wholly dispense with the electromagnet heretofore deemed necessary and thus to a very material extent simplify and cheapen the construction, and, further, to materially reduce the power heretofore required for the operation of annunciators.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with the drop, 1), pivoted at, a, the spring, B, having the catch, a, at its free extremity, the insulated stud, b, the taut wire, (J, extended from said stud to the spring, the bar, e, pivoted as at, l), and an ranged to arrest by contact the descent of the drop, of a battery, E, the wire from one pole of which connects with the taut wire, 0, while that from its opposite pole connects with the drop, D, to actuate a signal. when the drop has come in contact with the bar, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination with the drop, 1), pivoted as at, a, the spring, B, having the catch, a, at its free extremity, the insulated stud, l), the taut wire, 0, extended from said stud to the spring, the bar, 0, pivoted as at, Z), and ar ranged to arrest by contact the descent of the drop, of an audible signal, F, connected by wires, on, n, and, 75, with the bar, 0, and the drop, D, respectively, and a battery, 11), the wire from one pole of which connects with the taut wire, 0, while that from its opposite pole connects with the drop, I), to actuate said signal when the drop has come in contact with the bar, all substantiall as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination with the drop, D, pivoted as at, a, the spring, B, having the catch, a, at its free extremity, the insulated stud, Z), the taut wire, C, extended from said stud to the spring, the bar, 6, pivoted as at, b, and arranged to arrest by contact the descent of the drop, of a battery, E, the wire, g, from one pole of which connects with a push-button, h, and contact-piece, 11, while the wire, from its opposite pole connects with the taut wire, a conductor connecting said contactpiece with the drop, an audible signal, 1 a wire, a, extended from said signal to the wire, f, and wire, m, extended from said signal to the bar, 6, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JOHN KIIS. \Vitnesses:

\VM. KING HALL, SYDNEY TAYLOR. 

